Senate passes sanctions bill on Russia and Iran named for late Sen. Lindsey Graham

WASHINGTON — The Senate voted overwhelmingly to pass legislation to impose sanctions against Russia and Iran after months of fits and starts, with the death of Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham providing the final push. The 61-page legislation, renamed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, in honor of the bill’s biggest proponent, is designed to punish major buyers of Russian oil and gas. It also features additional sanctions on Russian leaders, family members and oligarchs. And it allows for targeted tariffs on products from countries that buy most Russian oil and gas, limiting them to the five biggest importers. The vote was 86-11. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said the bill would help protect Ukraine against Russian aggression. “Ukraine is now the largest conflict, literally, since World War II in Europe,” Thune said in a recent floor speech.